What’s Happening: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order making neoclassical architecture the preferred style for federal buildings in Washington. The action stops short of mandating that all new federal buildings are built in a classical style, saying merely that they must be “beautiful.” The order applies to all new federal buildings in Washington, DC, and those outside Washington that cost more than $50 million. The Download: In February, the Trump administration published a draft executive order, called “Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again,” in which the White House would dictate that all future government structures be designed in the neoclassical style. A jab at modern architecture, the move received condemnation by groups like the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and National Trust for Historic Preservation on the grounds that architecture should be designed for specific communities while protecting the freedom of thought and expression that are essential to democracy.